Medieval Calligraphy: Its History and Technique

The Historical Source Book for Scribes

An examination of 12 well-known manuscripts, aimed at both the historian and the scribe. Examples of the manuscripts are included, with a full-page colour reproduction of a page from the same manuscript alongside. Each section also includes a piece o ...

The British Library Guide to Writing and Scripts: History and Techniques

This work takes a look at the development of writing systems throughout the world, how they have evolved according to different social needs, and anticipates how the rise of the computer will affect the development of writing in the future. The autho ...

"The Book of Kells" Painting Book

An inspiration for artists, these are original studies of animal ornaments drawn from the famous "Book of Kells" by Aidan Meehan. Works of art in themselves, the large-scale drawings developed from motifs from the four main categories of an ...

Paper Before Print: The History and Impact of Paper in the Islamic World

When Muslim armies conquered central Asia in the 8th century they came into contact for the first time with a material which was to transform their lives and the rest of the world. This material was paper. This book records the history of the trans ...

Collins Calligrapher's Companion

A comprehensive and practical guide to all aspects of the popular art of calligraphy. Section One shows how to assemble a basic kit of materials, analyzes basic letterforms and demonstrates how to put pen to paper. Section Two is the book's unique sc ...

The British Library Guide to Manuscript Illumination: History and Techniques

Medieval manuscipt expert Christopher de Hamel selects and discusses a range of illuminated manuscripts from The British Library's unparalleled collection, some of them unfinished and so revealing the processes involved in an illuminator's work. He a ...

The Source Book for Scribes

Fourteen historical manuscripts, supported by other manuscript examples, are used to explore 15 selected writing styles. Dr Michelle P. Brown analyzes the production of the manuscripts, seting them in their historical context and relating them to the ...

The British Library Companion to Calligraphy, Illumination and Heraldry: A History and Practical Guide

Calligraphy and illumination, together with heraldry, comprise the three traditional skills of mediaeval book arts. In this wide-ranging guide they have been brought up-to-date by scribe and illuminator Patricia Lovett. Each section looks back at the ...

The Gilded Page: The History and Technique of Manuscript Gilding

A study of the origin, development and practice of manuscript gilding. Kathleen Whitley traces the history of gilding from Ancient Egypt and illustrated papyri to the adoption of the codex in the late Roman era, and the subsequent spread of the writt ...